


S2EP2: Where's Hooty?

by NotAChore



Series: Boiling Isles and Beyond: The Owl House Season 2 [2]
Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Human Trafficking, Mutant Trafficking, Other, Slave Trade, Slavery, Slaves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:21:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28397589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotAChore/pseuds/NotAChore
Summary: The Residents of The Owl House dive deep into the dark depths of the Boiling Isles to save Hooty.
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne & Hooty, Eda Clawthorne & Hooty & King & Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne & Lilith Clawthorne, Hooty & King (The Owl House), Lilith Clawthorne & King, Lilith Clawthorne & Luz Noceda, Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Original Character(s)/Original Female Character(s), Skara (The Owl House)/Original Character(s)
Series: Boiling Isles and Beyond: The Owl House Season 2 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055345
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45





	1. Preparing the Dive

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: if the warning tag didn't clue you in, this is when things get real. Watch out.

“Where do we even begin?” Luz asked Eda and the others.

It was only a day after Halloween ended, but after a night of rest (Luz drew a life size, in proportion drawing of Hooty on his door, which they hung on the door frame to scare off any unwelcome visitors), the residents of the owl house were ready to look for Hooty.

“It all starts with this disc.” Eda placed her crystal ball on the living room table, and held up a small dvd. “This is another gift from our gracious information broker, apparently he learned who Bloodhound gave Hooty to.”

“Who?” Luz asked.

“The Salesman.”

Eda inserted the disk, and a recording began to play. It was The Salesman up on stage, in front of him was a family of four, a woman and 2 children were on their knees, while a man was gagged and held down by thugs. The Salesman looked no different then your standard resident of the Boiling Isles, pointed ears, jet black hair, brown eyes, and a tan skin tone. He wore black shirt, black pants, and black shoes.

“Well, he’s got quite the the gimmick,” Lilith snarked.

“Shush!” Eda pointed at the crystal ball.

“Alright boys, listen up!” The Salesman barked. “I run this little slave operation now! If any of you got a problem with that, why don’t I set an example with our previous employer!” He motioned to someone off camera, and a large brute of a man with a large sword stood behind one of the children. “I’m sorry about this, Wilson.” The Salesman looked to the gagged man, who was screaming and crying. “Well, I’m not actually, this is going to be fun!”

Luz looked away when the brute lifted his blade to strike one of the children down. The sounds were traumatic enough, the slice, the body hitting the stage, the family crying, and The Salesman’s wicked laughter. The others’ reaction didn’t help, Eda stared in uncharacteristically wide eyed horror, mouth agape in shock and disgust, Lilith covered her mouth, eyes watering, and King closed his eyes and shook his head, wishing he had followed Luz’s lead didn’t watch. Eda ejected the disc and the smashed it by throwing it against the wall before the brute could move on to the rest of the family.

“That…that’s not what I was expecting,” Luz said.

“Neither was I,” Eda admitted. “The Boiling Isles is an ugly place but wasn’t expecting…”

“I’ve never seen cruelty like that, as well,” Lilith admitted.

“Okay, let’s just get this out of the way, does anyone want to back out now?” Eda looked to the other 3. “I don’t want that animal holding onto Hooty for another second.”

Luz, King, and Lilith were silent for a few minutes.

“I’m in,” King was the first to speak up.

“Me to,” Luz said.

“Luz-” Eda began.

“Eda, I’m helping,” Luz said, determined.

“Alright, alright, I know better then to try and keep you out of things,” Eda said, then she looked to Lilith. “Lily?”

“I’ll help in anyway I can,” Lilith said, still shook up by what she saw.

“Thought you’d say that.” Eda nodded, then turned to Luz. “Kiddo, if your friends can spare anything, I think they could help us.”

“I’ll check up with them.” Luz pulled out her scroll and called up Amity. “Hey Am? It’s Luz…Yes, that Luz…What other Luz do you know?…Why do you sound so flustered?…Look Amity, this is serious, so I need you to stop with the flustered crush act and ask Ed and Em of the three of you can pitch in…We’re going to the Dark Market.”

As Luz spoke with Amity, Eda turned to Lilith.

“Lilith, has the elixirs been working?” Eda asked.

“It brings me back to full strength, but it doesn’t last long,” Lilith answered.

“King, pack as much elixir as you can,” Eda ordered.

“Right!” King hopped off the table and scurried out of the living room.

“Alright, thanks Gus.” Luz hung up her scroll. “The guys agreed the help, I’m about to go out and meet them.”

“Be quick,” Eda said, “we got a house demon to save.”

* * *

Luz met her friends in the center of the day market.

“L-Luz…are you s-sure about this?” Amity asked, shaking and on the verge of tears.

“I have to Amity, Hooty is my friend,” Luz said.

“In that case, here.” Gus handed Luz a stack of cards. “Illusion cards, they’ll project physical copies of yourself to gang up on your foes.”

“Thanks Gus.” Luz nodded.

“My turn, I suppose.” Willow gave Luz what look liked a simple seed. “Toss that at the ground, and you’ll get your own personal attack dog, or giant carnivorous plant, in this case.”

“Thank you so much, Willow.” Luz smile at her.

Amity looked back to Edric and Emira, who gave her silent encouragement. She meekly stepped forward and handed Luz a glyph.

“What’s this?” Luz examined the glyph.

“It’s an Abomination glyph,” Amity said.

Luz gasped. “Amity, thank you so-” she was cut off when Amity suddenly hugged her.

“Luz, I…I just…I lo-” Amity wept, holding Luz tighter. “You come back to us alive!”

“I will.” Luz hugged Amity back.

“Promise me!” Amity pushed Luz away so she could look in her eyes.

“I promise.” Luz nodded.

“Good, now get out of here before I freak out!” Amity turned away from Luz, hugging herself stop from breaking down completely.

“Hey.” Edric hugged Amity. “It’s okay, Am.”

“There, there, Amity,” Emira comforted, joining the hug.

Luz felt guilty, but knew that saving Hooty needed to take top priority. With one last nod to Willow and Gus, she turned to make her way back to the owl house. From there, they’d head to the dark market.


	2. Dark Market

The Residents of the Owl House entered the Dark Market. The atmosphere of the place was tense, and it was unlike even the Night Market Eda had grown accustom to.

“Did our little information broker happen to tell us when and where The Salesman the will be active, tonight?” Lilith asked.

“Well…yes, actually.” Eda pulled a note from her pocket, and read it aloud. “Center of the market, midnight.”

“What time is it?” King asked.

“Midnight.” Luz checked her scroll.

“Ladies, Gentlemen, and everyone in between, I have some wonderful news!” The Salesman’s voice boomed.

The four turned to see the twisted business man, dressed in his usual attire, and standing on a stage not much different then the one he killed that family on. It made Luz sick to her stomach.

“Edalyn, does that note also have a plan on how to go about this?” Lilith asked.

“I’m afraid we’re on our own, now,” Eda answered. “Anyone got any ideas?”

As if fate wished to answer Eda’s question, The Salesman began his announcement.

“My business has been running a little…short staffed, lately,” The Salesman began. “An incident happened, to make a long story short some of my men tried to steal from me, had to throw them and their families off a cliff. That’s not the import part, what’s important is I need new hands on deck, and I came here to ask any of you lucky duckies in this wonderful audience if that wish to help me save my pride and joy!”

The audience murmured to themselves, no one stepping up.

The Salesman groaned in annoyance. “I forgot to mention my job pays handsomely.”

Dozens of people I’m the crow suddenly threw their hands up.

“That’s what I thought.” The Salesman snapped his fingers. “Alright, everyone who wants to join up on stage, now.”

“I have an idea,” Lilith spoke.

“Which is?” Eda looked at Lilith.

“I’m going to join,” Lilith said, never taking her eyes off of the stage.

“What?!” Eda whisper-yelled to keep attention off of them. “Lilith, are you insane?”

“I’ve done work like this for the Emperor before,” Lilith explained. “Before my high ranking position, I was part of a branch of the Emperor’s Coven that would go undercover, joining criminal organizations that have been cutting into Belos’ plans for the Boiling Isles.”

“What kind of criminal organizations?” King inquired, curiously.

“Drug trade, slave operations, rebel…rebellion cells,” Lilith admitted the last one, shamefully.

“So, people trying to liberate the Boiling Isles of Belos are as bad as drug dealers and slavers?” Eda scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Okay.”

“Look, the point is I can get in there and get the information we need to find Hooty,” Lilith said. “Like or or not, It’s the only shot we got.”

“Okay Lily, just…be careful,” Eda said. “I lost you once, I don’t want it to happen again.”

“I’ll be fine, sister,” Lilith assured as she walked towards the stage. “I promise.”

“Lilith.” Eda grabbed her wrist.

Lilith turned to Eda, and the two were silent, then Eda suddenly hugged Lilith tightly.

“Good luck,” Eda said.

“I’ll call you once I get the info.” Lilith returned the hug.

“You come back in one piece, you hear?” Eda reluctantly broke the hug.

“Loud and clear.” Lilith nodded, then made her way to the stage.

“Alright, anymore volunteers?” The Salesman looked around the audience.

“Me.” Lilith raised her hand.

When the crowd saw who it was, they gasped and stepped away from Lilith as she walked towards the front of the stage.

“Well, well, well, look who it is.” The Salesman glared at Lilith. “The great Emperor’s ex-lap dog. What brings you here?”

“I want to join you,” Lilith said.

“Do you?” The Salesman jumped off the stage and began circling Lilith, noticing her eyes and hair. “Digging the new look, I’ve got a think for asymmetrical gals.”

“Thank you.” Lilith tried her best to hide her disgust.

“Tell me, why should I trust you?” The Salesman asked.

“Because I’m his ex-lap dog for a reason,” Lilith answered. “I have no loyalty to Belos, anymore.”

“I suppose that’s true,” The Salesman conceded. “Okay, I’ll let you in on my little operation, but I’ll be having extra surveillance on you, Clawthrone. You make one wrong move, and I’ll be using your sister’s feathers to stuff my pillows.”

Lilith forgot most of the Boiling Isles still thought Eda was trapped as an owl beast form. Couldn’t blame them, Emperor Belos was quite charismatic, and could cover up even the most blatant of failures with a ‘will of the Titan’ excuse. The excuse itself wouldn’t be as effective if he didn’t say it with such conviction.

“I understand.” Lilith nodded.

“Get up on stage,” The Salesman ordered.

Lilith climbed up on stage and joined the group of volunteers for The Salesman’s organization. She gave Eda and the others one last reassuring nod.


	3. Tour

Lilith and the rest of The Salesman’s new employees were being lead on a tour of his camp, which is where he kept his prisoners. It was easy for Lilith to keep her composure, at first. Then they were shown the state of the prisoners in said camp. Men, women, and children locked in cages, some emaciated, while the fit ones were forced through grueling physical training in preparation for them to be sold as slave labor.

“Welcome to Camp Dolor,” the tour guide spoke to the group like an enthusiastic host. “Here, we make sure our prisoners are suffering 24/7.” He lead them to the prison yards, where prisoners were being tortured. “The Salesman has a cut off point for the number of prisoners we can hold before they start cutting into profits. For example, the cut off point 300 prisoners, we currently have over 500, which means the extra 200 can be used to make a profit…” the tour guide paused as a male prisoner screamed in agony, “…but are otherwise expendable and we can do what we wish with them.”

Titan have mercy on these innocents. Lilith gripped the skirt of her dress to keep herself calm.

“Ah, looks like we’re right on time to see the boss deal with more of those idiotic scumbags that tried to steal from him!” The tour guide exclaimed as he lead the group outside, to the back of the camp.

That guy seems a bit too…thrill about this, Lilith noted in her mind.

The Salesman was standing behind a group of men, fire spells ready. In front of them were more prisoners, staring out into a dark forest.

“So, you thought you could steal from me and get away with it, huh?!” The Salesman shouted, enraged. “Is that what you thought?! Well, I hope people as dumb as you can still follow this basic word of advice: RUN!”

The group took off as the men with fire spells chased them into the forest, occasionally a scream could be heard whenever one of the unlucky victims were hit by a fire spell. The Salesman watched with sadistic satisfaction before turning around and noticing the tour group.

“Oh, right, you guys,” The Salesman said, looking towards the tour guide. “Kabul, show them where we keep the magic prisoners then bring them to the center of the prison yard, I should have an announcement ready, by them.”

“Of course, sir.” Kabul bowed and lead the group back inside, towards a hallway marked `COVEN CAPTIVES’. “Now, those other prisoners were just the weak, pathetic, non-magic peasants of the Boiling Isles, these prisoners are our real source of income.” He opened the doors to reveal a long corridor filled with prison cells, all containing magic users of all kinds.”

“Now the sign may say ‘coven captives’, but we have much more then that,” Kabul began, causally strolling down the hallway. “We also have demons of all kinds, especially house demons, and even a few students from schools like Hexside!”

House demons? Lilith stopped dead in her tracks. Students?!

“Why don’t we take a break so you can poke, prod, and hurt them?” Kabul asked. “Go on, it’ll be fun!”

Lilith felt sick as the rest of the tour group began to do just that, throwing insults or hurting any prisoners too close to the bars. Lilith backed away from the group, and looked at some of the prisoners, to her horror there were some she recognized, some were members of the Emperor’s Coven who had gone missing, and others were students. Her students. Two of them stuck out. One was a humanoid with dark blue skin, their name was Null, black eyes with white highlights, and the standard pointed ears of every Boiling Isles resident, other then that they looked like a regular human. They wore a bard track uniform that was torn and ruined, and fingerless gloves. The other was female deer girl, Fae, she had deer legs, antlers, and a dear-like nose. She wore a top, but no pants because of the aforementioned deer legs, and like her fellow student and prisoner, it was torn and ruined.

“Fae? Null?” Lilith whispered. “Can you hear me?”

Null was the first to open their eyes, gasping at the sight. “Miss Lilith?”

“Miss Lilith?!” Fae’s eyes shot open and she jumped to her hooves, causing a loud clicking noise as they harshly touched the floor.

Lilith placed her finger to her lips, and Fae quieted down. Lilith looked back of see if anyone heard the noise, then turned back to her students when she was sure they didn’t.

“What…what happened to you?” Null got closer to the bars to get a better look at Lilith.

“It’s…not important.” Lilith briefly stroked her hair. “

“Miss Lilith, you have no idea how good it feels to see you.” Null took Lilith’s hands in their’s. “We were beginning to think we were goners.”

“You’re not, neither of you are,” Lilith assured. “I promise, I’m getting you, Fae, and the rest of the prisoners out of this horrid place.”

“Thank you, Miss Lilith!” Fae was close to tears. “I miss Skara so much! How is she?”

“She’s fine,” Lilith said. “Look, I can’t spring you both right now, but I will get you out of here. Can you two help me, as well?”

“Anything.” Null nodded.

“Have you seen a house demon?” Lilith asked. “Stuck to a door, face of an owl, and with a high pitched voice that makes you want to tear his tonsils out?”

“Oh, you mean Hooty?” Null asked.

“Yes!” Lilith smiled.

“I’m…I’m afraid The Salesman has already sold him,” Null answered, sadly.

“Oh…damn…” Lilith cursed herself.

“We know who, though!” Null assured. “He was bought by a man named Amadeus Keeper.”

“The infamous gold smuggler?” Lilith remembered being on Keeper’s trail before picking up her search for Eda, again. “Thank you, Null, you’ve been a great help.”

“Okay, I hope you all had fun, let’s finish up this tour and head to the center of the prison!” Kabul clapped his hands to get the tour group’s attention.

“Miss Lilith?” Null looked at her, scared.

“I will be back.” Lilith gently stroked their cheek. “You will not be spending another night in this place.”

“O-Okay…” Null stepped away from the bars.

Lilith wanted to say more, but realized she would be noticed missing from the group. She gave both students one last comforting smile before reluctantly following the rest of the group. Once Lilith got another shot at privacy, she’ll call up Eda and tell her the news.

“Sir, we’re here!” Kabul brought the group to the center of the prison yard.

The Salesman was there, as promised, along with someone tied to a stake.

“Ah, my new employees!” The Salesman greeted with a warm, friendly smile. “I always want to get to know my people on a personal level, so know the story I’m about to tell you is something I’ve shared with every single new recruit. I wasn’t always on top, I came from humble beginnings, like I’m sure many of you have. Now look at me, I’m the king of sentient tracking on the Boiling Isles!”

Lilith couldn’t help but draw connections to the speeches she would regularly give at Coventions.

“I want to share this story of success with all of you,” The Salesman said. “You do what I say, when I say it, and you’ll be paid, be allowed to torture, maim, and murder any useless prisoners I don’t need, and can even rise to great power.” He frowned, the friendly atmosphere fell in hate and malice. “What happens if you don’t? Well…” The Salesman snapped his fingers, and one of his men handed him a roles up news paper, he used a fire spell to set it aflame.

“No! No please!” The prisoner on the stake begged before being engulfed into a flaming inferno that left him screaming in agony.

“That’s what happens if you go against me,” The Salesman said. “I burn you like it was 1693. I don’t want to do that, so don’t give me a reason to.”

The tour group all looked at one another, nervously.

“Okay, now that we got that out of the way, why don’t you all get settled?” The Salesman smiled. “My guys got the shift tonight, so go home, get some rest, and be ready to get to work, tomorrow. It’s a fun job. Really.”

Lilith watched as everyone began to leave. She followed the group until they were outside the camp and heading back to civilization when she pulled out her scroll. Lilith punched in Eda’s number, waiting anxiously for her to pick up.

“Lily?” Eda didn’t bother to hide to worry. “Are you okay? How are things going over there?”

“They’re fine, Edalyn,” Lilith said. “I’m afraid Hooty has already been sold.”

“What?!” Eda shouted, causing Lilith to jump, along with Luz and King on Eda’s end.

“Calm down, sister,” Lilith ordered, texting Keeper’s name, address, and possible locations for his gold mining operations, then sent the info to Eda’s scroll. “I know who he sold him to, I just sent you what I know.”

“Amadeus Keeper?” Eda looked through the info. “I knew he was dealing he was using slaves! No one can mine that much gold even with an army of paid servants. Well, King owes me 50 snails.”

“Dang it!” King kicked one of the coffee table’s legs.

“Good work, Lily,” Eda complimented. “Come on back.”

“I…I can’t,” Lilith said, looking back towards the camp.

“What? Why?”

“The prisoners are suffering in their, Edalyn!” Lilith’s grip tightened on her scroll. “Suffering I thought Belos cared about enough to stop. Suffering I thought joining the Emperor’s Coven would stop to make the world live in better. They have my old comrades, and my students. I’m sorry, Edalyn. You’re on your own.”

“Lilith!”

“Good luck.”

“Lilith, don’t you da-” Lilith had hung up before Eda could finish. “Lilith?” She sighed and slammed her scroll onto the coffee table.

“You okay, Eda?” Luz placed a comforting hand on Eda’s shoulder.

“I hope that idiot doesn’t get herself killed.” Eda gripped the bridge of her nose.

“50 snails says she will!” King bet.

“King!” Luz scolded.

“Deal!”

“Eda!” Luz turned to Eda, shocked.

“What? I’m betting for her!” Eda raised her hands, defensively. “Look, we got no time to argue!” She rose to her feet and held out her hand. “We need to save Hooty!”

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes.

“Eda, you don’t have your magic,” Luz reminded, gently. “You can’t just bring Owlbert and the staff to you, anymore.”

“Wait…you mean I have to go get it?!” Eda looked horrified.

“Just like a human.” Luz nodded.

“Well, human, do me a favor and go get my staff!” Eda ordered.

Luz sighed, but got up to do what she was told. “You’re luck we need to save Hooty.”

“Yes, get my staff!” Eda’s hype returned. “We need to save Hooty…saved it.”


	4. Realization Among the Feathers

Luz looked over the gifts her friends had given as she, Eda, and King made their way to where Amadeus Keeper’s mansion resided. He had built the place right next to the gold mine.

“So Eda, what else did Lilith send on Keeper?” King hopped on top of Eda’s head as she looked through her scroll.

“Not a really pleasant fellow, to put it mildly,” Eda began. “Grew up spoiled rotten, committed a bunch of crimes which got him in trouble but daddy’s wallet got him out of, and when he grew up he had a history of domestic culminating in him abandoning his wife and two children to die in an assassination attempt.”

“Seems like a real gentleman,” King snarked.

“Reminds me of Boscha…I can only hope she won’t grow up to be as dangerous,” Luz said.

“She probably will,” Eda said, rather cynically.

“Yeah, well-” Luz was cut off by Eda stopping her with her arm.

“Mansion spotted!” Eda pointed to the large house by a dark and dreary cave.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Luz walked ahead.

“Hold up, kiddo!” Eda grabbed Luz’s shoulder. “The rich types in the Boiling Isles are paranoid as all Hell, and usually set noise spells or flat out death traps to keep their land protected.”

“Surely he wouldn’t have any traps all the way out here,” Luz said.

Eda pulled a coin from out of her pocket, and flicked it a few feet forward. Right on schedule, a trap rune was set off and the coin was completely disintegrated my a blast of fire.

“Okay!” Luz took a massive step back. “How are we supposed to get through all of this?”

“We don’t!” Eda gleefully hopped on Owlbert. “Hop on, kiddo!”

“Oh yay!” Luz gladly hopped on Owlbert.

Eda flew towards Keeper’s mansion. Unfortunately, she never realized about air noise spells, and as she flew by a crow suddenly began cawing madly.

“Uh…Eda?!” King jumped into Eda’s hair.

“Yeah, I heard it.” Eda got serious. “Luz, hang on!”

Luz held on to Eda’s waist tightly, which is good as a murder of crows suddenly started swarming the three. Eda and Luz were attacked mercilessly, they were pecked, bitten, and the crows would pull on their hair with their beaks and claws. Eventually, a few grabbed onto Luz’s head and began pulling.

“Eda!” Luz reached out.

“Luz!” Eda reached out, but a crow used the opportunity to jab its beak into her eye.

Eda screamed out in pain and Luz was pulled over.

“Luz!” King cried.

“I got her.” Eda grabbed the crow that jabbed her eyes and crushed it to death by squeezing as hard as she could. With it dead, Eda caught sight of were Luz was falling and dove after her. The Crows were relentlessly chasing them, stopping Eda short every time she got close.

“Eda!” King was practically in tears.

“I know, King!” Eda was barely keeping her cool. “I. Got. Her.”

“Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!” Luz shut her eyes as she fell. “Not like this! There was so much I didn’t get to do! Oh please Eda help!” She opened her eyes and saw the ground getting closer. “I’m sorry Amity…I broke your promise.” Luz saw her life flash before her eyes, her mother, that father she never knew, getting into all sorts of trouble with her odd behave, then the Boiling Isles, Eda, King, Willow, Gus, and- “…Amity.”

_“Oh! Luz! You’re here!-I mean, of course you’re here: this is school, and you go here now, with uh-me…I’vebeentalkingfortoolong.”_

_“Me, on a team-with you? Running around in cute uniforms? Sweating?!”_

_“I’m fine! HaHa! Who’s Amity?”_

_“Oh Wow, sports…”_

A tear fell from Luz’s eye when the revelation hit her like a truck. “Oh my God, Amity’s in love with me.” She didn’t know whether to spend her last moments gushing or crying, but she found a happy middle, tearing up as a smile on her face. “At least I know I was lovable.”

“Luz!” Eda snatched Luz from the air mere feet from the ground.

“Eda?!” Luz looked up as Eda held her close.

“I got you!” Eda was shaking and stroking Luz’s hair, practically on the verge of tears. “Wow…I don’t think we ever got this close to losing you, before.”

“Oh Eda, thank you so much,” Luz said, breathing out a sigh of relief. “I thought I was-”

Luz was cut off by the crows cawing loudly.

“Oh right these guys!” Eda tried to weave out of the way, and it seemed to be working.

“I think we’re losing them!” King cheered.

Luz looked forward only to see someone off in the distance. “Uh…Eda?”

“Yeah Kiddo?” Eda looked back to see the crows disappearing into the night.

“Is Keeper a pig?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, because he’s about to open fire on us!” Luz covered her eyes.

“Huh?” Eda saw a fire ball flying right towards them. “Ah farts.”

Luz, Eda, and King were blasted out of the sky and plummeted towards the ground. Thankfully, they were still low after Eda caught Luz, so they only had a few scrapes and bruises.

“Luz? King? You guys okay?” Eda sat up, gripping her head.

“I’m alright,” King assured.

“Yeah, me t-” Luz was suddenly grabbed by her throat and lifted into the air.

“Luz!” Eda and King shot to their feet.

“I wouldn’t do a thing if I were you.” Amadeus Keeper put Luz in a choke hold. “Unless you want her to be hurt.”

Eda and King backed down just in time for the crows to return and surround them.

“I actually feel I should thank you three,” Amadeus spoke, condescendingly. “You’re sudden arrival was unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome.”

“Why? You running out of the help or something?” Eda snarked.

“Why, yes, actually!” Amadeus laughed. “You see, I’m working on a little project and it’s been bleeding through my…”

“Slaves?” Luz gritted her teeth.

“I prefer the term, enforced Volunteers,” Amadeus corrected. “The point is, I’ve been losing them by the boat loads, so having three new test subjects works out wonderfully! For me and me alone, of course.”

“Test subjects?!” King hid behind Eda’s legs. “No! I’m too cute to be tested on!”

“Too bad!” Amadeus smiled, wickedly. “Lead!”

Amadeus walked towards the gold mine, the crows forcing Eda and King to follow.


	5. Liberation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to imagine the beginning of this chapter would've been animated by Spencer Wan

“Lilith, don’t you da-” Eda was cut off by Lilith hanging up on her.

“I’m sorry, sister.” Lilith slid her scroll into her pocket, then reached into her bag and pulled out one of the bottles of elixir. She drank it until she felt she was restored to full power. Lilith knew it’d be temporary, but since she was still in the early stages of the curse, it’d last longer. She knew it would get worse, like how it got worse for Eda, but she deserved it.

Lilith stared up at the prison camp, took a deep breath, then walked inside. The Salesman’s goons all stared at her as she walked in. For the longest time everyone was quiet, then Lilith suddenly teleported behind the goon furtherest from her.

“What the f-” the goon didn’t get to finish the sentence before Lilith blasted him, sending him flying into another the thug.

“I knew we couldn’t trust you!” Another goon shouted. “Waste her!”

The goons all fire upon Lilith with fire spells, but Lilith protected herself using her blue shield.

“Close in on her!” One thug ordered.

That’s when all the thugs in the room circled Lilith’s shield, causing it to crack and breakdown. She looked around to see all of the thugs were standing across from one another, so she quickly jumped into the air and lowered her shield, causing all of the thugs to blast each other when the shield vanished. Lilith landed on her feet when two thugs tried to rush, she dodged one who tried to grab her and walked him with her staff. The other she picked up by the throat, rose into the air, and threw him at a nearby wall.

* * *

“Right, listen Mr. Keeper, if they start to get rebellious, you might have to start axing a few of them off to set an example.” The Salesman spun in his officer chair and looked outside his office’s window into the night sky, then down to his prison yard.

“Unfortunately, I’m in short supply of enforced volunteers and can’t afford to kill any of them,” Amadeus explained

“Well, if you don’t want to kill any of them, then torture is always the next best option…You can do anything, honestly. Fire. Electric. Water torture is my personal favorite, I’d highly recommend dunking or waterboarding, especially the latter,” The Salesman suggested, causally. “The point is, you need to remind them who’s in charge, when slaves-”

“Enforced volunteers!” Amadeus corrected.

“Whatever!” The Salesman rolled his eyes. “When ‘enforced volunteers’ realize they out number you a dozen to one, it won’t take them long for them to axe you off in turn.”

The Salesman’s conversation with Amadeus was interrupted by the building suddenly shaking. The tremor was so bad, he almost fell out of his chair and even Amadeus heard it.

“What the Hell?” The Salesman looked around.

“What in the Titan’s name is going on over there?!” Amadeus demanded.

“I’m going to figure out.” The Salesman hung up on Amadeus just as Kabul rushed into his office. “Kabul! What just happened?! Why did the whole building shake?!”

“It’s Lilith, sir!” Kabul shouted. “She’s staging a one woman attack on our prison.”

“Good thing we kept tabs on her,” The Salesman said. “Was she caught talking with anyone?”

“Yes, she was caught talking with prisoners #235 and #236,” Kabul answered. “We believe the two were her students before we got our hands on them.”

“Grab them,” The Salesman ordered. “Do you know where Lilith is?”

As if to answer his question, Lilith threw the thug through the wall and into the prisoner yard. One goon jumped on her back, but she bit his thumb, grabbed his wrist, and threw him into the stake and gasoline soaked twigs located under it. Before the thug could get up, Lilith mercilessly sent a large flame to set him ablaze.

“I think she’s down in the prisoner yard, sir,” Kabul snarked.

“Just get those two little brats!” The Salesman barked.

As Kabul ran out of the room, The Salesman coldly watched as Lilith plowed through all the men sent to take her down.

Down in the prison yard, Lilith was charged by an army of goons.

“Attack!” One goon shouted.

Lilith picked up one in a bubble shooed and threw him into a few others to take them out and slow the horde. Then she backed up, spun her staff in a circle, creating a large beam.

“Retreat!” That very same goon shouted in horror before he and the rest of the charging thugs were blasted into dust by Lilith.

Lilith panted, sweating a bit, taking a moment to let the chill of the night’s wind cool her down. These goons were nothing, but taking on so many at a time was something she wasn’t used to. It sickened Lilith to think she’d miss being backed up by other members of the Emperor’s Coven, but a coordinated attack by dozens certainly had its advantages.

A sudden slow clap pulled Lilith out of her thoughts. She whirled around and prepared to attack…

“Miss Lilith?”

…but stopped herself when she saw Null and Fae held at knife point by Kabul and another thug. The Salesman stood beside them, clapping, an unamused look on his face.

“Glad you got that out of your system?!” The Salesman shouted. “I thought you were done being Emperor Belos’ lap dog?!”

“I’m not, but I could not allow your injustices to continue.” Lilith stood up straight.

“Oh, that’s real freaking cute,” The Salesman spat. “My heart melts, really, it does.”

“I didn’t know you had one,” Lilith snarked.

“Oh, you want to get a smart mouth?!” The Salesman shouted. “I think you’re forgetting who has the power in this little standoff of ours! Boys!”

The thugs holding Null and Fae began to cut into their throats, drawing blood.

“No! Stop!” Lilith held out her hand. “Please!”

The Salesman held up his hand, causing the thugs to stop just short of the students’ jugulars. “Drop it.”

Lilith looked at her staff, hesitatingly.

“You dropped that accursed staff!” The Salesman barked, patience running low. “Now!”

“Miss Lilith…?” Null looked into Lilith’s eyes.

“It’s going to be okay, Null.” Lilith gave Null a comforting smile as she set down her staff. “I promise.”

“Uh huh, sure it is.” The Salesman snapped his fingers and two thugs moved in on Lilith.

One of them punched Lilith in the face, and the other punched her the stomach. Lilith fell to her knees, then the things pushed her to the ground and began to viciously kick her. The Salesman watched with a sadistic grin, while Fae and Null could contain their horror.

“Miss Lilith, no!” Null cried. “Stop! Please stop!”

“What was that?” The Salesman looked at Null.

“Stop! Please!” Null weeped.

“You heard her boys, stop!” The Salesman ordered.

The thugs stopped beating Lilith, who was black, blue, and had blood leaking out of her nose. The Salesman walked over to Lilith, who was trying to stand.

“You should count yourself lucky, Lilith.” The Salesman gently lifted Lilith’s chin so she could look him in the eyes. “This little brat’s sacrifice brought you a few seconds free from pain.”

“S-Sacrifice?!” Lilith widened her eyes.

The Salesman turned to Kabul, who remorselessly plunged his knife into the students chest, and threw them to the ground.

“No!” Lilith shouted.

“Null!” Fae cried, but the thug holding her clamped his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet.

Lilith, ignoring the pain, desperately over to Null. When she reached Null, she held them in her arms.

“M-Miss L-Lilith?” Null looked up at Lilith, terrified.

“N-Null, listen to me, you’re going to be okay,” Lilith lied, but her tears and quivering voice threatened betrayed her.

“B-But-”

“I made you a promise, remember?” Lilith smiled, tearfully. “You’re not spending another night I’m this prison! Just…just close your eyes, when you wake I’ll have dealt with this scumbag.”

“I’ll go home and see my parents?” Null asked, hopefully.

“Yes,” Lilith assured. “Oh, they missed you so much!”

“I missed them…to…” Null closed her eyes, and went still in Lilith’s arms.

When Null was gone is when Lilith let the mask slip and screamed, holding the students’ unmoving body close to her.

“Hey, don’t feel so bad,” The Salesman mocked, laughing cruelly. “I mean, in a way, you kept her promise to her. She won’t be spending another night here! Get it? She won’t be spending a night anywhere! You know, because she’s dead!”

“They,” Lilith corrected through gritted teeth.

“What?” The Salesman cocked an eyebrow at Lilith.

“Null was non-binary, you sick animal!”

“Oh God, not that they/them crap!” The Salesman rolled his eyes.

That’s when Lilith felt it, something dark, was coming to light. She felt rage, she felt grief, she felt hatred, but under all those emotions was something else. Something wrong.

“Alright, enough of the soap opera death and pronoun debate,” The Salesman said. “Boys, grab a hold of dear old Lilly!”

The thugs grabbed Lilith and forced her to the ground.

“Hold out her hand,” The Salesman ordered, pulling out his knife as his men did so. “You know, I’ve seen your sister pull off her hands and even get her head cut off! So if I were to cut off…let’s say, a finger, you’d be able to reattach it, right?”

Lilith didn’t answer, she could only look at Null’s body as the darkness within her grew.

“Let’s test it out!” The Salesman grabbed Lilith’s pinky and cut.

Fae flinched and closed her eyes as Lilith screamed out in agony.

“Judging by that scream, I’m thinking you aren’t gifted that same ability,” The Salesman snarked, only to become cruel and venomous. “You know, I think death would be too much of a mercy. No. No, I know exactly what I’m going to do to you. I’m going to lock you up in the boiler room, and every day I’m going to go down there and take a piece of you. Your fingers, your toes, your arms, your legs, and finally, your eyes and tongue. When I’m done with you, you’ll be a limbless husk silently begging for death! How does that sound?”

Lilith answered with a strange, owl-like growl, causing The Salesman and his goons to jump back.

“What was-” The Salesman began, but was cut off by one of his men screaming.

“Boss!” Kabul pointed at Lilith’s already long and sharp finger nails as they grew into sharp talons.

“Wh-what?!” The Salesman stepped back in fear.

Feathers burst through Lilith’s cloths as the grew all over her body, which grew in size and sprouted wings. Lilith, in her owl-beast form, roared at the sky in rage.

“I thought only the owl lady was cursed!” The Salesman shouted in horror.

The Salesman words echoed through her mind as Lilith woke up in a dark void.

“Huh?!” Lilith scurried to her feet. “H-Hello?” She looked around, and felt a sinking realization hit her. “I’m an Owl-beast.”

In the real world, Owl-Beast Lilith grabbed the first thug closest to her and lifted him over her head. She pulled him by his head and legs, tearing him clean in half. The next she grabbed his disembowled with one quick swipe across his torso with her claws. The she reached for the one holding Fae, who bit his thumb and ducks out of the way. Owl-Beast Lilith picked him up and shoved his screaming head into her mouth, then bit down with a sickening crunch, then she dropped his body. Then there was Kabul, standing as still as a statue, still holding the knife he killed Knull with.

“I surrender!” Kabul dropped the knife and held up his hands.

Unfortunately for Kabul, the owl-beast knew no mercy. She grabbed his arms, and then snapped them like twigs. The did the same to his legs.

“Oh Titan!” Kabul screamed as he writhed on the ground.

The Salesman was frozen in fear was well, allowing Owl-Beast Lilith to grab him and jab her talon into his spin, crippling him. Then she dropped him to the ground.

“I-I can’t move!” The Salesman screamed in horror. “Why can’t I move?!”

Owl-Beast Lilith then howled at the night sky and ran into the complex, slaughtering any of The Salesman’s goons who crossed her path and freeing the prisoners.

Inside the void of her mind, Lilith sat in the fetal position.

“This what Edalyn went through every time she turned into that beast,” Lilith spoke to herself, years of guilt pilling on top of her once again. “For what?! Over match she dropped out of for me! So I can join an oppressive system! So I become someone so utterly stupid I fell for Belos’ lie. Someone so callous I use an innocent girl as bait. So cowardly I used that same girl as a shield. So weak I can’t…I can’t even protect my students…” she looked at her hands, she didn’t think she could’ve been more crushed after Belos admitted his lie, but this, this is worse. “While Edalyn was suffering, her life ruined because…I was just living my life, I got married for Titan’s sake. Oh Jade…you never should’ve laid eyes on me.” Lilith was about to have a complete breakdown at memories of Eda and her wife, then she shot awake, gasping as if she were drowning.

“Miss Lilith!” Fae hugged Lilith, tightly.

“F-Fae?” Lilith returned the hug, looking around in confusion, seeing all of the prisoners had gathered around her. “What happened?”

“You saved us, Miss Lilith.” Fae smiled, tearfully. “You saved us.”

“Not all of you…” Lilith looked over to Null’s body, which had been respectfully covered by Fae’s robe. “Where are they? Did I kill them?”

Fae shook her head and pointed towards a crowed that surrounded The Salesman and Kabul.

“Please! Please don’t hurt me!” Kabul cried.

“I-I was just trying to make a living!” The Salesman excused.

“What should we do with them?” A large, male prisoner asked Lilith, who was helped to her feet.

“I need to help my sister save her house demon, so those two are…expendable,” Lilith spoke venomously. “You can do what you wish with them.”

The prisoner cracked his knuckles and turned towards the group.

“No! No please!” The Salesman begged.

Kabul didn’t even get to beg, Lilith just heard him scream out in agony.

“What does Eda need help with?” Fae asked. “I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“Fae, you don’t have to-”

“I want to,” Fae said.

“Okay, we’ll need to head to Amadeus Keeper’s Mansion.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Lilith took some of Eda's curse, while she does lose herself in her Owl-beast form, she keeps her moral compass. Which is why she not only spared the innocent, she still actively helped them.


	6. Hooty Found

It was an awkward and quiet elevator ride down to Amadeus Keeper’s gold mine. The greedy hog still held Luz in the choke hold, and was leaning against the back wall of the large elevator while Eda and King stood by the door, an army of crows stood between them so the two couldn’t do anything if they tried.

“Ah! We’re here!” Amadeus cheered. “Alright, out!”

“Ow!” King jumped forward when the crows began pecking his heed. “Hey, quit it!”

“Alright, we’re going! We’re going!” Eda walked forward before the crows could start pecking her heels.

The group was lead through a dark mine filled with torches and lanterns that allowed them to see. The sound of pick axes and drills filled the air as they closer and closer to where the slaves were working. They also heard humming, and a recognizable voice was the one of the many voices doing so.

“Hooty?” Luz whispered.

“Oh, so you’re the people he’s been blabbing on about?” Amadeus scoffed. “I take it you came here to rescue him? That’s what he said you would do.”

“Yeah,” Luz answered, softly.

“Good job,” Amadeus snarked.

When the group arrived to where the slaves worked, they saw more crows acting as glorified taskmasters, attacking any slave that dared slow down while working. In the center of all this, towards the very end of the mind, door leaning against the wall, was him. Hooty.

“Hooty!” Luz practically screamed, causing everyone to look at her in surprise.

“Shut up!” Amadeus squeezed Luz’s neck.

“Hey!” Eda glared at Amadeus, who lessened his grip on Luz, allowing her to breathe.

“Keep your head on, owl lady,” Amadeus said. “I need you three alive.”

“For what?” Eda narrowed her eyes at Amadeus.

“Guys?” Hooty’s voice cut through the air like a knife.

“That.” Amadeus threw Luz to the ground.

“Oh, I missed you guys so much!” Hooty smiled, stretching out towards Eda. “I knew you would come for me!”

“Yes, and now they’re going to help make you mine,” Amadeus said.

“Huh?” Hooty looked at Amadeus in confusion.

“What do you mean?” Luz stared up at Amadeus from the ground.

“Hooty here has been rather defiant, refusing to mine the gold no matter how many times I send my crows to punish him,” Amadeus explained. “So I decided if hurting him won’t get him to do as I ask, then hurting the ones he loves will be the next best thing!”

“What?! No!” Hooty cried.

“Let me set an example.” Amadeus looked down at Luz, then at the crows surrounding her. “Kill.”

“Luz! No!” Eda shouted.

The crows attacked Luz, pecking and biting her.

“Stop!” Hooty cried. “I’ll do what you ask!”

“Will you?” Amadeus smirked.

“Yes, please don’t hurt any of them!” Hooty shook his head.

“That’s what I thought.” Amadeus was about to call off his crows, but thought against it.

“What are you doing?!” King shouted. “He agreed! Heck, I agree!”

“Yeah!” Eda didn’t even bother to hide her fear and desperation. “We’ll all be your slaves if you let her live.”

“No, I only need Hooty,” Amadeus said, coldly. “Once I’ve used the girl to set an example, I’ll use you two to have him wrapped around my finger.”

“Eda!” Luz cried.

“Luz!” Eda tossed any bargaining out the window and dived into the murder of crows, trying to reach out and grab Luz to pull her out of the mass of vicious avians.

“How cute!” Amadeus laughed, wickedly.

The gold mine was filled with crows cawing, Luz screaming, and Amadeus laughing. All the noise came to screeching halt when the elevator began to loudly raise. The crows stopped attacking Luz and Eda and looked towards the elevator along with everyone else.

“What?” Amadeus was confused as he watched as the elevator raise to pick up whoever called it. “Who could’ve possibly…”

“Lilith…” Eda whispered, proudly.

“Dang it!” King kicked a rock.

As the elevator began to lower, Amadeus whistled, causing his crows to jump off of Eda and Luz and began following him towards the elevator. Suddenly, dozens of tiny vines sprouted from the ground and subdued the crows.

“What’s?!” Amadeus looked around as he saw all of his crows pecking and writhing while trying to free themselves.

“Amadeus Keeper!” Lilith’s voice echoed throughout the mine as the elevator lowered enough for her and Fae to be seen. “You’ve caused suffering in the Boiling Isles for too long!”

“L-Lilith Clawthorne?!” Amadeus backed away from Lilith in fright.

“That’s right.” Lilith stepped out of the elevator, standing directly in front of Amadeus.

“What will you do with?” Amadeus shook with fright.

“This.” Lilith knocked him over the head with her staff, knocking him out.

“Oh, well that…kind of…anti-climatic…” Luz said.

“Trust me, I had a pretty decent climax back at The Salesman’s prison,” Lilith sighed. “Now everyone get in the elevator.”

The slaves wasted no time throwing down their mining equipment. Eda and King were about to do the same thing.

“Guys, Hooty!” Luz shouted.

“Oh crap, he can’t move, can he?” Eda slapped her forehead.

“Yeah, kind of a door,” Hooty snarked, uncharacteristically sarcastic.

“No worries, Hooty.” Luz was the first to grab him. “We got you!”

Eda walked over and too the other side of Hooty. “Lilith, could use some help!”

“Oh it!” Lilith nodded, then took the bottom of Hooty when Luz and Eda lifted him, causing Hooty tone facing the ground.

“Wow, you’re a lot heavier then you look,” Eda wheezed.

“Doors are pretty heavy,” Hooty snarked.

“When did you get such an attitude, eh?” Eda chuckled.

“I don’t know!” Hooty exclaimed. “Wow, you girls have lovely shoes!”

“Yeah, thanks Hooty, make room everyone!” Lilith ordered.

The slaves in the elevator split allowing the group to enter and lean Hooty against the back wall of the elevator. Amadeus awoke just as Lilith shut the door and the elevator began to ascend.

“Hey, what are you doing?!” Amadeus shouted. “What about me?!”

“I don’t know, what about you?” Lilith asked, coldly.

“Y-you’re just leaving me down here?” Amadeus whimpered.

“You want your gold so bad?” Lilith spat. “Die with it.”

* * *

Lilith laid Null down into the bed made of grass, leaves, and sticks. The student’s eyes were closed, giving off the illusion she was merely sleeping. The guilt was eating away at Lilith as she sat beside Null’s resting place, gently caressing their cheek with the back of her hand, shivering at the cold touch.

“You know they wouldn’t blame you, right?” Fae asked.

“I do…I always do…” Lilith stood.

“Miss Lilith, please,” Fae tried to assure. “It isn’t your fault, it was that monsters.”

“Please call in the Emperor’s Coven and report the body,” Lilith ordered Fae, ignoring what she said.

“I…okay, Miss Lilith.” Fae nodded and called up the Emperor’s Coven.

* * *

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand there we go!” Eda flicked Hooty’s new hinges. “Alright Hooty, you’re as good as new!”

“Thanks Eda, it feels so good to be back! Hoot!” Hooty smiled. “I missed you guys sooooooo much!”

“I did, too,” Eda admitted.

Hooty gasped. “You did?!”

“We all did,” Luz said. “We were worried sick about you.”

“We were also scared to sickness.” King jumped onto Eda’s shoulders.

“We had to sleep in shifts because you weren’t there to protect us,” Lilith said.

“Wow, I didn’t know you guys cared so much!” Hooty frowned. “In fact, didn’t think you cared at all.”

Luz, and even Eda, Lilith, and King shrunk back in guilt.

“I know I can be annoying, but I’ll try to be better,” Hooty promised.

“Then so can we,” Luz assured. “Welcome back, Hooty!”

“Yeah, let’s have a group hug!” Hooty cheered.

“Hug?” Lilith cocked her head in confusion.

“It’s a parallel arm thing,” Eda whispered. “Just follow Luz’s lead.”

* * *

Luz was the first to hug Hooty, then King and Eda, with Lilith awkwardly joining in last.  
Luz arrived at Hexside with Fae in tow. After Fae had told her how close she was to Skara, had given Amity a called and told her to grab the latter and wait for her outside, on the front steps of the school. When she saw them, Willow and Gus were also there.

“I’m glad you wanted to meet up again, Amity.” Skara smiled. “You kind of cut us off after Grom.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Amity said, remorsefully. “I just can’t be around Boscha. She’s bad for me.”

“I can assure you, I and the rest of the girls started to agree with that statement, as of late,” Skara admitted. “Boscha’s been…bad…since the Grudgeby match.”

“What do you mean?” Amity asked.

“She’s been-”

“Skara?” Fae meekly interrupted.

Skara froze, and looked over at Fae, eyes wide with shock. “F-Fae?”

Fae smiled and waved, awkwardly.

“Fae!” Skara shot to her feet and ran into an embrace. “I missed you so much I tried to hard to move on even went to Grom with some guy be we couldn’t date he wasn’t you so I broke it off I swear I never would’ve tried anything if I knew you were you need to tell me everyth-”

Skara was cut off by Fae giving her a quick, but loving, kiss.

“I can’t wait to catch up, too.” Fae smiled.

Skara bursted into tears and embraced Fae. Luz watched smiling, before Amity, Willow, and Gus practically attacked her with a tackling group hug of their own.

“I’m okay, guys,” Luz assured, then reached into her pocket and awkwardly pulled out the stuff that had given her. “I never got around to using these gifts, sorry guys.”

“Keep them,” Willow said with a nod. “You never know when you’ll need them.”

“True.” Luz shoved them back into her pocket, then looked to Amity. “Hey Amity?”

“Yeah Luz?” Amity looked at her, eyes glistening with her tears.p  
“We have a lot to talk about.” Luz smiled, lovingly.


End file.
